You know how people tend to get sad around the holidays when they're away from their families? Well, I get that way on Labor Day. Weird, right? I know. I have this great reunion with my Grandpa's family and I miss it, every year. This year, we decided to be proactive and make plans ahead of time so we made sure to get out and enjoy the day.
What a spectacular decision that was.
Our neighbours and friends decided they could join us for the morning. That made the kids really excited for our day out. They had been there once before so they lead the way and we were thankful to follow!
The kids were all excited to see this little squirrel home. You can see that 10 year olds are all alike, right?
Abe picked up these acorns and held on to them for almost the whole rest of the day. As we were walking he said, "These are Japanese acorns."
He also spied this little bug and wanted a picture, you know me, I aim to please.
With friends around Bryant was in top showing off form. When their oldest suggested that his 14 year old brother should climb out across this tree Bryant was only too eager to try it. I don't think he got any farther out than this, though.
Our first little water fall!
Beautiful and beautiful.
The kids probably would have been happy to just stay and play here all afternoon.
But we urged them on. Bryant was seriously considering jumping across this divide between the road and the walkway. But the quick current below proved too intimidating.
When the kids found a totally fallen tree across the river it was too much to resist. Jonas was the first one across.
And Bryant was quick to follow. He even did a little booty shake at the other side and then sprinted back to us. It wasn't long after this that our friends had to hit the road back to Misawa so it was just the Woody clan.
When Abraham picked up his hiking stick he said, "This is a Japanese stick." He continued, "These are Japanese trees. This is a Japanese hike!" And after thinking about it for a bit, "But we're not Japanese." He walked with the stick across this bridge long enough for me to record a short video of him with it and then just as we got to the end of the bridge he tossed it in the water.
Jonas wanted to be Tarzan.
Then everyone got restless waiting for Abraham and decided to just jog ahead. I was happy that Bryant stuck around with Abe and me.
Abe was especially glad.
Once we all met up it wasn't long until we reached this lovely sight! Kumoi Falls
Jonas told me he was trying to give us bunny ears in this one below. Silly kid. There were a couple cute Japanese young ladies who took some pictures for us. They really liked Abraham.
Ethan got right up next to it and it really impressed me with how large these falls were!
Bolton wanted his picture taken with it. That face!
I suggested that we send Ethan to jog back to the car and come pick us up at the falls and he thought it was a good idea. Jonas and Bryant opted to join him. The rest of us waited and were almost as much of a sight to behold as the falls behind us. Our cute little friends who took our picture even made sure to say goodbye when they were picked up by their bus.
When they got back to us, Jonas wanted Ethan to tell me about their run. I guess Jonas was jogging along with them but getting tired and thirsty and started feeling like quitting. So he started walking while they others ran on. Then, he told Ethan, he remembered something his mom had told him (that's me!) that "running is more of a mental sport than a physical sport" and he decided that he could continue on and so he started running.
Meanwhile, Ethan kept turning back to see if he could see him and he couldn't see him any more. Then one time he turned and out of nowhere he sees Jonas just booking it! He caught up to them and ran the whole rest of the way. He was even the first one back to the car.
Loaded up in the car we decided to drive the rest of the length of the gorge. Along the way we stopped to behold another beautiful gem of a water fall, Choshi Big Falls.
I loved this. There are mushroom growing on the handrail. And then this little caterpillar crept over to say hello.
This water fall was right across the street from the Choshi Big Falls, but I didn't see a sign with a name for it. But it was beautiful!
The water Jonas drank up once he got to the car coupled with all the water falls didn't bode well for his bladder. He's going to kill me for posting this! Ha!
At the end of the gorge we were blessed with this incredible view. Lake Towada. Wow.
Five boys all mesmerised by the crystal clear waters of the lake. You could see right down to the bottom. It was pretty incredible.
This kid has no fear. Much to his parents' chagrin.
The ferry was just getting ready to depart. Once it started on its journey a bunch of the folks on board waved at us. The kids thought that was pretty funny.
We had to get some ice cream, we are Woodburys after all. As the kids got their cones we sent them outside, when we (Ethan and I) finally got our apple pie pieces (instead of ice cream) we came outside and found the kids all line up like this. I had to snap a picture. Ethan says it will be the album cover someday. Cute little stinkers.
When we got back to Misawa we decided to join some of our ward family at the beach for a bon fire. Trouble was we didn't have food for a cookout and the commissary was closed. We stopped at the shoppette and paid way too much for hot dogs and marshmallows, but we were prepared!
We only got a little lost trying to find the beach but I'm glad we did because otherwise we wouldn't have seen these awesome things!
The ocean was kind of angry that evening. Abe, who usually keeps his distance actually got swept over in one big wave. He was soaked!
We also found some big shells that were in tact. First Ethan was the Phantom of the Opera with the shell on his right. Then he added the one on his left and tried out a new kind of vision therapy. Ha!
The evening was as splendid as the wonderful day. I didn't have time to miss my family I was so busy having fun!
